Let’s talk about internships

Whipped.

Internships can be your BFF or your worst frenemy. They can open the door to new experiences and employment or they can suck you dry and leave you hating the field you once loved. Interns can be thought of as vital additions to the team, or they can be thought of as the bitch, the gopher, or just referred to as “hey, intern.”

The point of an internship is to gain professional experience that will help you get a job in the field you want. No one is born knowing how to be a producer or a designer or a journalist. You go to college to learn the theory of your desired profession, but internships are supposed to give you that on-the-job, real world experience that no book can teach you.

Internships can be an amazing help to anyone just starting out. They can not only teach you how to do your future job, but they are also a great way to network and gain contacts in your industry. And often times if you do everything right – wear the right clothes, have the right attitude, show up at the right time, get to know the right people – internships can turn into full time jobs.

Unfortunately, some companies take advantage of interns. Now, I’m not talking about paid internships. If you pay me and I can list your company on my resume, I will do anything. N-E-THING. Well, almost anything. Make coffee? No problem, I make great coffee. Pick up your dry cleaning? Yeah, whatever you say. Babysit your kids? Sure, I’m great with kids, and I just see it as practice for whenever I get knocked up. But take away that money, and hell no.

No, I’m talking about unpaid internships. And not all unpaid internships. I mean, I have an unpaid internship. In fact, I wrote the majority of this post in between assignments at after my unpaid internship today.

Unpaid internships are like guys. You don’t just pick the first one that promises you a good time. You have to be picky until you find a guy that works well with you. Do you have personalities that mesh well? Do you have similar interests? Will he take care of you when you’re sick, or will he say, “Oh, babe, I’m sorry…can you make me a sandwich?”

Internships are the same way – you have to know what you’re getting into. Know that internship interviews aren’t just about the company; they’re about you too.  Ask questions about the company, know exactly what kind of work you will be doing, and if you can, talk to some of the employees to get a sense of the company’s work environment.

Just like guys, if you find an internship that works well for both sides, you could be looking at a long term commitment that could make you happier than you ever imagined.